Apparatus for high-temperature treatment of ores and other substances



Dean, 1930. M. FOURMENT 1,786,202

APPARATUS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE TREATMENT OF ORES AND OTHER SUBSTANCES Filed Dec. 22, 1926 Patent ed Dec. as, 1930 MABGEL rounmnnr, or rams, cannon I APPARATUQ FOE'HIGH-TEMPEBATURE TREATMENT OF OBllS OTHER SUBSTANCES I Application filed December 22, 1926, Serial Ho. 156,425,.and in France February 2, 19%.

The present invention has for its object a process of treatment of ores,.wastes', oxides, metals, alloys, etc., consisting in raising them to a high temperature by high frequency induction currents, in volatilizing at least partially these materials and collecting the condensable volatilized .or dissociated parts, either in the liquid state or the pulverulent state.

It relates alsoto the particular application of this process to various particular cases suchas the preparation of metals in powder.

form, the treatment of certain ores (lead, zinc etc.,) the treatment of metallic Wastes by fractional distillation, the dissociation of oxides at very high temperatures, the obten-.

tion of certain carbides such as carborundum, etc.

The present'invention has alsoior its object an apparatus for carrying out the above proc ess, consisting of a principal crucible for the fusion and volatilization of materials to be treated, and one or more secondary crucibles'designed-tocollect the condensed vapours, the principal crucible and the secondary crucible or crucibles each being-piovided with an inductor winding adapted to be connected to a source of high frequency electric currents for heating and also being provided it necessary with means for cooling the said crucibles.

Preferably the apparatus comprises discharge pipes for the liquid collected in the crucibles, surrounded with an inductor Winding adapted to be connected to a source of high frequency electric currents for facilitating the flow of the liquefied materials.

The apparatus can comprise also, on the principal crucible, a discharge pipe for dross lighter than the'bath of melted material, also provided with an induction Winding adapted to be connected to a source of high frequency electric current. a p

A particularly advantageous embodiment comprises around a central supply tube for the materials to be treated an. annular space provided with landing stages forming the secondar crucibles, the provision of separate win in-gs about each stage enabling fracthis, crucibles 3, t ree secondary. crucibles 4:, 5 and 6; outlet pipes -7 8, 9 and 10 each having an induction winding designed to raise the interior lining of each pipe to the desired temperature. The tube 11 leading from. the upperpart of the principal crucible 3 is intended for the discharge of dross or light unvolatilized products. Inductor windings 12, 13, 14,15 permit the crucibles 3, a, 5 and 6 each to be raised to the desired temperatures, the highest temperature being reached in the carbon lining 16 of the principal crucible 3. The tubular windings 13, it and can be used (or some of them can be used) as cooling coils only, if desired, for cooling the respective crucibles 0r compartments 4-, 5 and 6. The secondary crucibles also have carbon linings 17, 18 and 19 but these have in their lower parts an annular space for the passage of the vapours from the next lower crucible and a circular gutter for the collection of the products of condensation; between the carbon linings and theinducto-r windings,

' there are provided a heat insulating envelope 20 and a dielectric envelope 21. Finally the upper part of the apparatus comprises a pipe 22 intended to discharge the uncondensable gases and the condensed vapours into a recovery chamber which is'not illustrated in the drawings, and where theliltration of the solid condensed products in suspension, irons the uncondensable gases can be effected.

The operation ofthe apparatus is continuous. The mixture 11' to'betreated descendsin. a'continuous fashion by the central pipe and the different products are discharged a continuous fashion by the pipes l, 8, 9, 10

lid

and 11. Inthe case of low delivery the op- It is evident that if considered useful the whole or part of the secondary crucibles 4, 5,. 6 can be cooled instead of heated. At 23 is illustrated a cooling coil, for cooling the crucible 6. Further, the electric windings could be placed at any other convenient point.

The apparatus thus described permits various operations to be effected, as the following: v

(a) Preparation of metals in 'p0'w'der.- For this purpose the metal is fed in by the central tube 2 and the secondary crucibles 4, 5 and 6 strongly cooled. The metal is then collected in powder. In this arrangement po\ dered lead, tin, aluminium, zinc, etc., can be prepared.

(7;) Treatment of ores.F0r this purpose the mixture of ore with the appropriate fluxes and reducing agents is fed into the central tube 2 and the metal or metals contained therein are collected either in the principal crucible or in the secondary crucibles. The method can also be applied to the treatment of complex ores such as those of lead and zinc by forming a melting bath'rich in lime; the lead is collected in the lower part of the principal crucible while the zinc is collected in the secondary crucibles.

(a) Treatment of wastes.Wastes containing various metals having different boiling points can be fed into the-apparatus, as for example wastes of bronze, brass, tin antimony, lead etc. The least volatile metal re mains in the principal crucible, the others condense on the secondary crucibles.

(d) Preparation of various substances.- A mixture of pure sand and carbon is fed into the central tube and very pure and very finely divided total carbide of silicon (car- 'borundum) is collected in the secondary crucibles. Oxides which are reduced or dissoclated atv very high temperatures can be treated in the same way. 7

It should be mentioned that the apparatus can also be applied if the treatment of the materials must be effected either under superatmospheric or subatmospheric pressure, either in a neutral or active atmosphere.

I claim:

1. Apparatus in which substances can be volatilized and collected by condensation comprisin a vertical crucible, collecting parts on t e inside walls of the crucible at a distance from the lower end, and inductor.

3. Ap aratus suitable for volatilizing substances mcluding metals of difierent boiling points, which comprises a vertical crucible divided into compartments by collecting parts carried on the inner walls of the crucible, located at different heights in the crucible, a substantially vertical feed pipe for introducing material to be treated, into the bottom part of said crucible, said feed pipe extending throughthe several compartments in said crucible, said crucible being surrounded by inductor windings, which windings are each substantially horizontal and are adapted to form part of a high frequency electric circuit.

Dated this 9th of December, 1926.

' MARCEL FOURMENT.

windings surrounding the crucible, ,said

windings being adapted to form. a part of a high frequency electric circuit;

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in

' which the collecting parts are provided with discharge pipes surrounded with inductor windings adapted to form' a 'part of a high frequency electric circuit. 

